Convertible dumping-car.



PATENTED APR. 16, 1907.

H. L. AULLS. CONVERTIBLE DUMPING GAR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 9, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

PATENTED APR. 16, 1907.

H. L. AULLS. CONVERTIBLE DUMPING GAR.

nrnon'rox nun JAN. 9, 1901.

2 BHEETS-SHEET 2.

ll-itailvfiliiz HERBERT L. AULLS, OF DENVER, OOLORADO.

CONVERTIBLE DUMPlNG-CAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

'I-atenteo. April 16, 1907.

- Application filed January 9, 1907. Serial No. 351,559.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT L. AULLS, a cit zen of the United States, and a resident of Denver, county of Denver, State of Colorado, 5 have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Convertible Dumping-Cars, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to convertible dumping-cars, and especially car-platforms used as [o the bottoms of coal and ore cars, although it will be understood that my invention can be used as the bottom of bins, storage-elevators, and like structures.

The main object of my invention is to pro- I5 vide a car with a floor which can be transformed into a perfectly fiat surface, such as the floor of a gondola, car, or which can be arranged so that the contents can be discharged inwardly underneath the car or to 2 either side of the car from th middle of the car without shoveling or without the use of a plow, as heretofore required in most cars ofi this type.

A further object of the invention is to utilize such a construction for bins and storage structures whether mounted upon wheels or in fixed positions. The desideratum in a dumping-car is that the load may be discharged at will either to so ,one side or the other or inwardly underneath the car and that the bottom of such a car may be made perfectly flat.

1n the accompanying dr. wings I have illustrated my invention as applied to a car. Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of a car illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal side view of a-car provided with my improved dumping-platform. Fig. 3 is a plan view ofthe same, taken when the hopper-bottom floor is closed and locked readyforloading; Fig.4isa ectiontaken on the line 8 s when the car is discharging outwardly. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 3 s i when the car is discharging inwardly. Fig.,6

5' is a section on the line 8 s when the car is changed to flat bottom. Fig. 7 .s a section taken on the line 0' r when the car is discharging outwardly. Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line r r when the car is discharging inwardly. Fig. 9 is a section taken on the line 1'v 1' when the car is changed to flat bottom. Fig. 10 is a transverse section of a'car having additional side doors, and Figs. 11 and 12 are .transverse sectionsof a car-having modified 5 5 forms of floors.

It will be noticed in the drawings that the -or compressed-air power.

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car-body has the ordinary sides and a longitudinal fixed member P extending from one end of the car to the other. This fixed member may be in the form of a beam or a series of 6c beams, according to the width of the car, asdesired. There are two sets of doors or sides between this central longitudinal-member and the sides of the car, one door of each set being pivoted at the side of the car and the other at 5 the side of the longitudinal member.

While I have described the doors as being operated by longitudinal rods actuated from the ends of the car, the doors may be operated by any suitable mechanism, depending consid- 7O erably upon the type of car to which the invention is applied. If my invention is applied to a bin or container, then the bottom of the bin has the longitudinal member extending throughout its length, with the two 7 5 sets of doors pivoted as described and arranged near one side of the central member and the other on the opposite side. It will be seen, however, that for small cars, bins, or containers the construction may be modified 89 by omitting the longitudinal central member and using one set of depending doors pivoted to the sides, the balanced door being used for. 7 locking and opening.

Referr' .to the drawings, A A represent rods or shafts, preferably running the entire length of the car, one at each side of the cen tral longitudinal axis and being provided at intervals on their under sides and rigidly afiixed thereto with wide projections a for 90 the purpose of pressing against the under side and returning the swinging doors to position. These shafts may be turned by anysuitable means, either by gearing operated by hand On each rod A is hinged a triangular member T, ,which is adapted to be swungup fromitshorizontalpo sition to an inverted-V position on turningaijthe rod for the purpose of providing a hop per-bottom at each side. 'lo each shaft A is hinged and depending therefrom a swinging door D. Along each-side of the car isa similar rod B, running, preferably, the entire length of the car and is provided with similar projections b, rigidly afiixed thereto. To 10 5 these shafts are hinged swinging doors E. The doors D and E form a V-shaped hopper on each side and extend practicallythe length i of the car. Below the level of the floor and A substantially over each set of wheels about no midway between the rods A and B isa similar rod or shaft C, having a balanced door F, 5;

g' y att t ereto, f directing the discharge of the load either to the sides of the car or between the wheels. When in horizontal position, both the doors E and D are locked in position-by the balanced door F in the present instance. The doors D and E may each be made of single continuous leaves or of several leaves, according as constructive details and use of the car may determine. Fig. 3 shows E in three leaves.

Referring to. Figs. 4, 5, 7, and 8, it will be seen that the two triangular pieces T form an inverted V-shaped division running nearly the entire len th of the car above the level of the floor. WTien the two triangular portions Tare turned up into this position, the top ortions of these triangular portions interock by means of' an L-sha ed overlap to, Fig. 1, in a direct line with t e draw-bars of a car, thereby permittin the entire load to be discharged at once an avoiding the shoveling or plowing usually required in .cars provided with the side discharge. It will be seen from the drawings, Fi 2, that the doors E also extend practically t e entire len th' of the car, and when the load is discharge outwardly the inner side of the doors F are tilted upward to emit the doors E to swing out at each side of the car, Fig; 4, while the doorsD remain fixed in position and overlapping the inside vanes ofthe doors F. When the load isto be discharged between the rails, the door F is swung in the opposite direction, and the doors D swing inwardly on the rods A A. When it is desired to provide the car with a flat bottom, the swinging doors E will be raised a sufficient distance to permit the triangular piece T to revolve around the central shaft A into its horizontal position, whereby the triangular member T is turned over until one of its right-an le faces becomes part of the level floor. ee Figs. 6 and 9.) The door E is then swung downwardly into its horizontal position.

In the modification shown in Figs. 11 and use two doors loosely hinge o a central rod or shaft S, running the entire length of the car and provided with any suitable raising and lowering means. It is readily seen, therefore, that when it is'desired to rovide the car with a flat bottom the side oors E are raised above the level of the floor before lowering the rod S, so that the central doors T will lie in under the-side doors E, Fig. 12/

rining a chute for 1 that if the sections of the bottom of the car are in the position as shown in Fig. 6, the bottom being perfectly fiat, to convert it into a hopper-bottom car all that is neccessary is to raise the two doors E E sufficiently to allow the triangular members F to be turned up, as indicated in Fig. 5. The two doors D are swung in position, as well as the doors E E, and locked by the balanced doors F. When the doors are in this position, the contents of the car can be discharged either from each edge, as indicated in Fig. 4, or at the center, as illustrated in Fig. 8, according to the direction in which the balanced doors F are moved. After the load has been discharged and it is desired to provide the car with a fiat bottom all that is necessary is to shift the several parts to the position shown in Fig. 6.

It will be noticed by comparing Figs. 4, 5, and 6 with Figs. 7, 8, and 9 that the balanced doors F have long outer vane members and short inner vane members, and their widths depend upon the extent to which they are intended to act as chutes for directing the discharging material. The lengths of these vanes are the same as the depending doors which they lock, and the outer vane mem bers extend, therefore, practically the full length of the car, permitting discharge out- Wardly over the trucks, while the inner vane members are restricted in length to practically the distance between trucks, so that material will not be dischar ed upon the trucks. The members marker? D in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are immovably fixed over the trucks and at the same slopes as the doors D. In erecting my improved floor for use in a bin or other container the side openings may be connected with a chute and the central 0 enin may be connected with another 0 ute directing the contents of the bin to different discharge-points .but my invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with cars either of the open or closed types.

As I stated above, I do not wish to limit myself to this construction as applied to cars, and in the following claims the term car may be considered as applying to a bin, storage-elevator, or the like wherein my convertible dumping-platform may be used; nor do I wish to limit myself to the construction'as applied to full-size dumping-cars, for it is obvious that the idea of a balanced door locking two inclined swinging doors and.

directing the discharge to either side of the track may be applied to small dumping-cars for use in mines and the like which are not of sufficient width to permit two longitudinal V-shaped hoppers.

What I claim is 1. The combination in a car or other container, the bottom of said car or container having a longitudinally-fixed portion, a pair of doors at each side of the fixed portion, one

door for each set being ivoted at the edge of the fixed portion and t e other door of each set being pivoted at the side, and means arranged to be shifted so as to form aninverted- V-s of the floor or to form with the outer doors a level floor.

2. The combination in a car or other container, of a floor. made up'of a central member and two sets of hinged doors, one set at each side of the central member, one door of each set being hinged at the edge of the central member, and the other door of each set being hinged at the side of the car or other container, a balanced door pivoted at a point directly under where the two doors of each set come together, with means for operating the several doors, the said balanced doors acting as a lock for both doors when its central osition, and when shifted to one side or tiie other acting to release one or the other of the doors of each set.

3. The combination of a car having a floor composed of four longitudinally-hi1iged doors, two of said doors being hinged to the outer side of the car and one on each side of the center of the car, means for operating said doors, means for locking the doors in the po' sitions to which they are adjusted, and means for forming a ridge throughout the longitudinal center of the car.

4. The combination-in a car having a floor made up of a central fixed member and four hinged doors, the outer doors bein hinged at the sides of the car and the inner doors being hinged one to each side of the fixed member, means for operatin the doors so that the doors can swing on t eir pivots, and a pair of members between and above the inner depending doors, so arranged that the members can be raised to form an inverted-V-shaped longitudinal rib, or lowered to form a flat bottom for the car.

5. The combination in a car-body, of a central fixed member extending the full length of the car, a door hinged to each side of said central member and a door hinged to each side of the car, a balanced door pivoted below the pivots of the first-mentioned doors closed or look one closed, allowing the other to open, said balanced door also acting as a chute.'

aped rib above the central fixed portion 7. The combination in a car, of a central 6'5 two pivoted members arran ed to swing over the central member so as to orm an inverted- V-shaped ridge, or lowered so as to form, with the doors pivoted to the sides of the car, a fiat bottom for the car.

8. The combination in a car, of a longitu- 7 5 dinal fixed member, two sets of doors, one set on each side of the central member, one door of each set being pivoted to the central member and the other being pivoted at the side of the car, longitudinal ribs at the pivots of the said doors arranged to operate the said doors, balanced doors pivoted at a point under the pivots of the first-mentioned doors, and means for turning the first-mentioned doors, members pivoted toeach side of the fixed member of the car and arranged to rest upon the fixed member to form an inverted- V-shaped projecting rib or to be turned down to form, with the doors pivoted to the side of the car, the flat bottom of the car, substano tially as described.

9. In combination, a car having two oppositely-inclined swinging doors, forming a V- shaped hopper, and a balanced door beneath said swinging doors for locking said doors in position, substantially as described.

10. In combination, a car having a convertible floor, a dependin door hinged to each side of the central ongitudinal axis thereof, a door hinged to each side of the car, said doors forming a longitudinal hopper at each side of the car with the said depending central doors, and a balanced door for hold= ing said doors in position.

11. In combination, a car having a convertible floor, a dependin door hinged to each side of the central dongitudinal axis thereof, a door hinged to each side of the car, said doors forming with the said depending central doors a lon itudinal hopper at each side of the car, and a door for holding said first-mentioned doors in locked position and adapted to form a chute for directing the discharge of the load.

12. In combination, a car having a convertible platform, a depending door hinged to each side of the longitudinal axis thereof, pivoted members adapted to form an inverted-V-shaped ridge, a door hinged at each side 'of the car, said doors forming a V-shaped hopper at each side of the car.

13. In combination, a car having a convertible floor, a rod at each side of the central lon itudinal axis thereof, a door hinged to said rod, a rod at each side of the car, a door hinged to each of said rods, said doors forming a V-shaped hopper, and an inverted-V-shaped I partition along the central axis of the car IOO ICS

forming continuous sloping sides with said central depending doors.

14. In combination, a car having a convertible floor, a rod at each side of the central longitudinal axis thereof, a triangular member hinged thereto, a rod at each side of the car, a door hinged to each of said rods, said triangular members and side doors adapted to be converted into a level floor.

15. In combination, a car having a convertible floor, a rod at each side of the central longitudinal axis thereof, a triangular member and a doorhin ed to each ofsaid rods, a rod at each side 0 the car, two doors hinged thereto, one of said doors adapted to be converted into a level floor with one of said triangular members.

16; In combination, a car having two 1nclined swinging doors forming a longitudinal V-shaped hopper, and a balanced door beneath said swinging. doors, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERBERT L. AULLS.

WVitnesses A. S. PAGE, W. W. FOLLETT'. 

